This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.
The Games
| Over/Under | Road Team | Road Implied Total | Home Team | Home Implied Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42.5 | Los Angeles Chargers | 23.25 | New England Patriots | 19.25 |
| 49.5 | Denver Broncos | 23.25 | Cincinnati Bengals | 26.25 |
| 47.5 | Arizona Cardinals | 20.5 | Los Angeles Rams | 27 |
Quarterback
- Joe Burrow
vs. DEN ($7,200)
Burrow set an NFL record last week when he became the first QB to throw for at least 250 yards and three touchdowns in seven consecutive games. It's hard to overstate how good he's been, and despite a relatively tough matchup, he projects head and shoulders above the rest of the position. Most will say that Denver has one of the better defenses in the league but in the last three weeks, it allowed 34 points to the Chargers and 32 points to the Browns. I wouldn't worry about it when it comes to Burrow, who's become matchup-proof at this point.
- Bo Nix
at CIN ($6,300)
It's been an impressive rookie season for Nix and that should continue Saturday with the Broncos' offense in a favorable spot against the porous Bengals defense in a game that projects to be competitive and high-scoring. Denver still has everything to play for while Cincinnati will be without multiple starters on defense. Game stacks look appealing for tournaments.
Looking cheaper, I think you can make a case for any of the remaining four. Kyler Murray ($6,000) has been up and down but he's still doing it with his legs. He rushed for 63 yards and a score last week to put up 20-plus fantasy points for the sixth time this season. Justin Herbert ($5,900) just cooked a stellar Broncos defense for 284 yards, two TDs and 23 fantasy points and has run a bit more as they've been shorthanded at RB. Not quite as much as Drake Maye ($5,800), however, who's topped 15 fantasy points in five consecutive games. Matthew Stafford ($5,700) is the cheapest of the bunch and makes perfect sense paired with Nacua or Kupp for salary relief. When you factor in ownership, all four have merit for GPPs.
Running Back
- Chase Brown vs. DEN ($7,600)
Brown was on the field for 98 percent of the snaps last week, which is almost unheard of these days. He's the Bengals version of Christian McCaffrey and is starting to project that way every week based on how good Cincinnati's offense has been and how many points it scores. A theme of this article will be Bengals players projecting best at QB, RB and WR. That's the case for Brown and it makes him essentially a lock for cash games.
- Kyren Williams
vs. ARI ($7,500)
Williams is averaging more than 28 touches and 112 yards per game over the last three. The Rams are home favorites and have a 27-point implied total. He hasn't been quite as involved in the passing game recently, which is why Brown projects slightly better. It's possible to afford both but concessions would have to be made elsewhere.
Looking down the board, there isn't much to get excited about. J.K. Dobbins ($5,800) is expected to be activated while Gus Edwards is out. The Chargers have a favorable matchup and Dobbins is cheap enough to gamble on. Javonte Williams ($5,400) remains heavily involved as a receiver after catching seven of 11 targets last week. He's gone six games without double-digit carries, however. If I were to take a chance on a Patriot, it'd be Antonio Gibson ($5,200) after reports that Rhamondre Stevenson ($5,700) could lose the starting job. Keep in mind the previous time head coach Jerod Mayo said that, Gibson and Stevenson split snaps evenly.
Wide Receiver
- Ja'Marr Chase vs. DEN ($8,400)
Chase is the No. 1 WR in fantasy football and until DraftKings raises his salary, he's going to project best every week. He has a tough matchup against Patrick Surtain but so did Jerry Jeudy when he went for more than 200 yards on that Monday night game a couple months ago. Surtain rarely shadows the No. 1 WR anyway, for whatever it's worth. If you can't afford Chase, Tee Higgins ($6,900) would be a nice pivot. He's coming off eight catches on 11 targets and has a touchdown catch in five of his last six games.
- Puka Nacua vs. ARI ($8,000)
Nacua vs. Chase is similar to Kyren Williams vs. Chase Brown. It's close to a toss up but the Bengals project slightly better. Nonetheless, Nacau is a strong option in any format. He's the overall WR3 since returning from injury in Week 8 and has looked unstoppable at times, capable of breaking any slate. Cooper Kupp ($6,500) will be much less popular and rightly so since he's averaging less than three catches per game over his last four. He's now the clear No. 2 option behind Nacua but at low ownership, would offer nice leverage in GPPs.
Looking elsewhere, Ladd McConkey ($6,600) and Courtland Sutton ($6,300) are viable tournament pivots off of Bengals and Rams. I prefer Sutton based on price and matchup. In the mid-range, Marvin Harrison ($5,200) will be relatively popular, if only because there isn't much competition. It's been a tough season for Harrison, though his best game came against the Rams in Week 2 when he had four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. If you're looking for a punt, Kayshon Boutte ($4,000) caught five balls for 95 yards and a score last week. He's on the field most of the Patriots WRs. Kendrick Bourne ($3,300) can also be considered. Marvin Mims (3,900) is capable of scoring anytime he touches the ball and the Broncos have made a point of getting him involved more recently.
Tight End
- Hunter Henry
vs. LAC ($4,200)
Trey McBride ($6,200) broke hearts again last week, when despite the best matchup and Arizona putting up 30 points, he managed just three catches for 20 yards. Regardless, he clearly projects as the top tight end on a slate that doesn't off much at the position. The reason I highlighted Henry is salary based. You'll need to save somewhere to afford the likes of Burrow, Brown, Williams, Chase, Nacua, etc. Henry has drawn at least eight targets in four of the last five games and is averaging over five catches in that span. That would do just fine for the price.
Cheaper options for tournaments include Mike Gesicki ($3,100). Burrow is just throwing so many touchdowns and we've seen Gesicki as the beneficiary in the past. Will Dissly ($3,700) seems set to return after recovering from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for two weeks. He'll likely usurp Stone Smartt ($3,400) as the starter. Lucas Krull ($2,900) has eight catches over the last three games while playing about 40 percent of the snaps for Denver, who are still using three TEs.
Defense/Special Teams
- Los Angeles Chargers
at NE ($3,400)
The Chargers project best, which makes sense when you consider it's Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack against a rookie QB. They along with the Patriots ($2,400) will be the most popular. New England only because it offers salary relief on a slate that doesn't have much for cheap value.
